Janina Harding, Indigenous Arts Program Manager, City of Melbourne

How can we get Indigenous arts on the agenda of local government? Case study of City of Melbourne’s Indigenous Arts Program

This presentation will describe the establishment of the City of Melbourne’s Indigenous Arts Advisory Panel, and a dedicated Indigenous Arts Unit. The inaugural and current chairs of this panel with senior staff member Janina Harding will discuss some of the group’s challenges and successes including a most recent major achievement, the City’s establishment of a Code of Practice for Galleries and Retailers of Indigenous Art. Through this the Council intends to encourage recognition that the rights of Indigenous artists are formally recognised, by encouraging good faith relationships between artists and galleries; advocating the use of written contracts and promoting the sale of authentic Indigenous arts and crafts. 

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Janina Harding’s cultural background is Meriam (Torres Strait) and Ku Ku (Cape York). Janina has worked for more than twenty years in areas of Indigenous arts, education, employment and arts programming. She has worked as Course Co-ordinator and teacher at RMIT’s Indigenous Arts Course, managed a National Indigenous Employment Strategy for the ACTU and was the first Indigenous Artistic Associate for the Melbourne International Arts Festival. Janina currently broadcasts on community radio 3KND & 3CR with Kylie Belling and Kim Kruger on Arts Up, Melbourne’s only Indigenous arts show.

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